Harlequins and Argentina prop Santiago Garcia Botta to retire at end of season

Harlequins have announced that Argentina prop Santiago Garcia Botta will be retiring from professional rugby at the end of the ongoing season.

Garcia Botta joined Harlequins ahead of the 2019/20 season and has 62 appearances for the club across five seasons. He was part of the Quins side that clinched the Premiership title in 2021.

Before joining Harlequins, the 31-year-old was part of Jaguares making over 40 Super Rugby appearances for them and also had represented Belgrano and Stade Francais in the past.

His international debut for Argentina came in 2013 and has 34 Test caps to his name. He was also part of the squad that competed in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

“After much thought and reflection with my family, I have made the decision to retire from professional rugby. I believe it's the right time to do so, and I want to thank everyone who has supported me, in particular my family and friends," he told Harlequins' official website.

“To the fans of Harlequins, thank you for your support from day one. You made me feel at home and it was a great honour to represent a club like this. To my teammates, thank you for the memories, the friendships, and the shared moments.

“I’m now looking forward to embarking on a new stage in my life back home in Argentina, for which I've been preparing for several years by training as a strength and conditioning coach.”

Harlequins are at fifth place in the Gallagher Premiership table with nine wins from 16 matches.